Airlie Birds win plaudits, if not the game, with dazzling display

Sometimes, it just wasn’t that good so why pretend otherwise?

People watching Thursday’s Hull KR and Catalans Dragons will certainly concur with that.

However, in Sydney, a couple of days after Rovers toiled to their first points back in the top flight, Hull FC helped showcase the competition in a dazzling light.

Granted, they didn’t actually win their contest with St George-Illawarra but, for once, that wasn’t the be all and end all.

The East Yorkshire club wanted to not only put themselves on the map but Super League, too, and, with a thrilling game against their NRL opponents – Grand Final winners as recently as 2010 – they certainly did that.

In the first half especially, Lee Radford’s side expressed themselves brilliantly, playing some great football that genuinely tested their rivals.

St George, too, came up with some quality plays and it went on to become an absorbing contest, full of action and intrigue only decided when, at 18-18, Hull’s defence momentarily switched off to see Kurt Mann skip through for the winning try in the 75th minute.

It was cruel on the Airlie Birds who, inspired by two-try Albert Kelly, had turned down the chance for two points not long earlier. It was an ‘exhibition’ match after all.

They also missed the opportunity to set for one-point after Jordan Abdull broke clear but then passed inside to a player wearing the famous Red V rather than black and white.

“It was probably a bad decision, to be honest,” he recalled, Abdull being one of 13 academy products who featured on a memorable day for the club.

“But it was a trial game and I wanted to try and come up with a winning play.

“Some you get, some you don’t. I know next time to keep hold of the ball and try and get them the play after.”

He, like all the Hull players, will have learned plenty on this trip, especially when enjoying this rare chance to face NRL opponents.

Kelly, of course, is a former NRL player and you could see the fixture held no fear for him as the maverick ex-Gold Coast Titans stand-off continually attacked and teased the opponents’ line.

It was pleasing to see Hull finish with a positive performance, if not the result; everyone knew they had not been themselves when losing to Wigan in Wollongong a week earlier.

Loose forward Abdull, 22, continued: “Compared to last week we were miles better with the ball and defensively we showed a bit more vigour, a bit more tightness. We were probably a bit better this week at controlling the ruck; we were expecting a quicker game with the two refs playing an NRL side so I think Rads will be pleased with that.”

Silky Kelly stepped his way over for his second try, converted again by Marc Sneyd, for a 
12-10 interval lead, centre Tim Lafai and Reuben Garrick having crossed for the Dragons.

Their giant winger Nene MacDonald seemingly put his side in command with two strong finishes at the start of the second period but Hull did not yield, prop Liam Watts – who had been doubtful due to injury – angling back past some flat-footed defence for Sneyd’s conversion to make it 18-18 in the 56th minute.